Cheese and Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Still have family in town for the holidays? Make this easy breakfast casserole the night before and pop it in the oven right before you and your guests are ready to eat. Who doesn't like cheese, eggs and sausage? You can also add various bell peppers for more festive colors and complexity.

Adapted from: Tride and True From Eleana's Kitchen

You Will Need:

• 7 slices wheat bread, trimmed and toasted
• 1 lb mild italian sausage, cooked
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups milk
• 2/3 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
• 2/3 cup Swiss cheese, grated
• 4-5 pieces turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled

Here We Go:

• Place bread into bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish
• Place crumbled sausage over bread
• Cover sausage with cheeses and onion
• In blender, mix mustard, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, and milk until well blended
• Pour mixture over sausage, cheeses and onion
• Top with crumbled bacon
• Cover and refrigerate overnight
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until top is brown or knife inserted into middle of casserole comes out clean

Makes 6 Servings
Happy Feasting!

Three Cheese Baked Rigatoni

It is 69 degrees outside today and I will definitely take this beautiful Fall weather any time, especially when Thanksgiving is only one week away! This baked, hot, cheesy, Italian goodness will keep you warm this winter once temperatures start to drop. In this hearty dish, rigatoni noodles are packed full off fresh zucchini, mushrooms, yellow onion and mild Italian sausage. It is then topped with fresh mozzarella and baked to perfection! This is a great dish for large groups or cut the recipe in half for only four servings.

Adapted from KitchenRunway.com

You Will Need:

• 1 pound rigatoni pasta
• 12 oz, weight ground mild Italian sausage
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 whole Large Onion, diced
• 2 whole large zucchinis, quartered and sliced
• 10 oz, weight baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce (24 Oz.)
• 15 oz, weight low fat ricotta cheese
• 7 oz, weight shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cups shredded parmesan cheese

Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 400ºF
• Boil rigatoni in salted boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain
• While pasta is cooking, coat a large pan with olive oil and saute Italian sausage over medium to medium high heat until brown
• Remove sausage from pan, leaving juices in the pan and add onions to pan and cook until soft and the onions start to brown
• Add zucchinis and mushroom and saute until tender and add sausage back to the pan
• Add pasta sauce, salt and pepper and stir to combine
• Simmer for about 2 minutes and then add the ricotta and stir to combine
• Add half of the mozzarella cheese and turn off heat and stir to melt the mozzarella cheese
• Add pasta and stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper
• Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray and pour the pasta into the dish
• Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and bake for 15 minutes

Makes 6-8 Servings
Happy Feasting!

Sweet Italian Sausage, Goat Cheese, Sauteed Onion & Green Pepper Pizza

I love pizza on Sunday nights. There is something to be said about eating a home cooked meal on Sunday after a busy weekend where you spent most of your time eating out. Yesterday started out as yet another chilly day, and by mid afternoon it was gorgeous outside. We made this fabulous pizza last night and sat down with the windows open and a big bottle of red wine - perfect end to a weekend!

You Will Need:

• 1 ball of pizza dough (I prefer Whole Foods)
• 1 1/4 cups pizza sauce 
• 1/2 of a 12oz bag of mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 sweet onion, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
• 8 oz sweet Italian sausage, crumbled
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F
• Roll out dough using your hands or a rolling pin if you have one
• Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in small skillet and cook sausage 7-10 minutes, or until no longer pink and set aside
• Heat remaining Tbsp of olive oil in skillet and saute onions and green peppers for roughly 10 minutes, or until soft
• Place dough on pizza stone or baking sheet
• Top dough with pizza sauce, cheeses, sausage, onion and green pepper
• Bake for 10-12 minutes on top rack, or until golden brown

Serves 8 Slices
Happy Feasting!



Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya

 

It won't be too much longer until we are getting seventy degree weather everyday and spring is in full bloom. I've decided that I need to get my fill of hearty soups, chilis and other winter favorites while there is still time because, let's face it, no one wants to eat a huge bowl of jambalaya when it is seventy degrees outside! This shrimp and sausage jambalaya has wonderful flavor and is the perfect comfort meal on these final winter days.

 

Adapted loosely from Best Loved Slow Cooker Recipes

 

You Will Need:

• 1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 medium onion, chopped (I used sweet onion)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper
• 2 cups okra, diced
• 1 rib celery, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp Tabasco
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 lb cooked shrimp
• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, cooked and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 cups uncooked brown rice

 

Here We Go:

• Combine cooked sausage, tomatoes with juice, onion, bell peppers, celery, okra, garlic, oregano, Tabasco, chili powder and thyme in slow cooker and cover
• Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours
• Stir in cooked shrimp and cover
• Cook on low for another 20 minutes
• While shrimp is cooking, prepare rice according to package directions

 

Makes 6 Servings

Happy Feasting!